Beggars in trains, a public nuisance

Beggary in metropolitan trains between Colombo and Panadura has been going on unchecked, despite warnings by the Railway Security Service. Passengers said that beggars dressed in dirty clothes would board congested trains packed to their capacity and rush through the crowd shouting out their grievances.

They said beggars with ulcers, one legged men, those suffering from chronic deceases as they claim, and women carrying children who resorted to beggary to maintain their families with sick husbands, were among them. The passengers said the most gruesome scene was a man swallowing swords. The young man about 30 years of age would board the train armed with two shining swords which he swallows while many passengers close their eyes.

Beggars in congested trains were a nuisance that has been going on unchecked, causing annoyance to thousands of passengers travelling to workplaces in the morning and returning in the evening after work for a well earned repose

Another man who boards the train with a huge stone or a large cement block would push the passengers aside making space for his game and first show acrobatics. Then he would stand on his head and lift the stone with his feet stretching upwards. Passengers said the scene was horrible but they were compelled to see it or else he would abuse the passengers in filth. They said beggars in congested trains were a nuisance that has been going on unchecked, causing annoyance to thousands of passengers travelling to workplaces in the morning and returning in the evening after work for a well earned repose. They requested the Railway Security Service to carry out raids to prevent beggars in trains.

However a senior official of the Railway Security Service who faulted the passengers said that the passengers who make donations were responsible for the nuisance. He said that passengers should refrain from making donations, to prevent beggars in trains.